Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
Question:64 Mrs. Geoghegan-Quinn asked the Minister for Finance the amount of funding being made available by his Department to alleviate flood damage in County Galway. [3830/95]
Written Answers - Flood Relief.
A provision of £2 million has been made to deal with the effects of recent flooding in the agricultural sector and an additional provision of £4 million has been made for maintenance of county roads. The expenditure of these provisions will be a matter for the Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry and Environment, respectively. It would be expected in the normal course that other losses would be covered by owner's insurance. Such liabilities should not therefore fall on the State and consequently no provision has been made to meet them.
Michael P. Kitt
Question:65 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Minister for Finance if financial assistance will be given to a person (details supplied) in County Galway who suffered losses in view of recent flooding. [3868/95]
There is no record of a claim for compensation from the person referred to having been received in the Office of Public Works.
The Government has established an interdepartmental committee to coordinate its response to the effects of the recent bad weather. The committee will consider what, if any, funds can be secured to assist those who have suffered loss from non-insurable risks as a result of the recent flooding.
It would be expected in the normal course that losses would be covered by owner's insurance and that such liabilities would not therefore fall on the State.
A provision of £2 million was made in the budget for compensation for flood damage in the agricultural sector.
Other exceptional or urgent needs arising from the recent flooding could be considered for assistance under the supplementary welfare allowance scheme which is administered by the health boards on behalf of the Department of Social Welfare.
Liam Aylward
Question:67 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Finance the steps, if any, taken by the Office of Public Works to ensure that the recent flooding which occurred in Kilkenny city, in particular at Green Lane, does not recur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3898/95]
The powers of the Commissioners of Public Works to undertake work to relieve flooding are derived from the Arterial Drainage Act, 1945.
The River Nore is No. 18 on the priority list of major catchments to be considered for an arterial drainage scheme. To date a total of 11 schemes have been completed in catchments on this list, one is in progress and due to be closed later this year. A decision not to proceed has been made in three cases, a further three schemes are under consideration, two of which have been subjected to cost/benefit analysis and to date have proved uneconomic. There is little prospect of undertaking a major arterial drainage scheme on the River Nore in the foreseeable future.
The Government has established an interdepartmental committee to coordinate its response to the effects of the recent bad weather. The committee will consider what, if any, funds can be secured to assist those who have suffered loss from non-insurable risks as a result of the recent flooding.